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Where Are All the Male Supermodels?

For women, the answer is a desirable mix of beauty, It-girl status, power bookings, and hype—but for men, it’s a bit trickier. Male supermodels are rare, and even the top tier of the talent pool can fall short of the requirements. Fashion insiders may know their names—and physiques—but the general public remains in the dark. In the ’90s, men like Tyson Beckford, Marcus Schenkenberg, Mark Vanderloo, and Tony Ward crossed that border, making their mark with prestige bookings, lucrative contracts, and a degree of cultural relevance that gave them an edge. Whether it was Ward making out with Madonna in the infamous “Justify My Love” video, or Beckford breaking boundaries as the first black face of Ralph Lauren, the male models who made an impact were far more than mannequins.

Sex appeal is, of course, objective, and there’s plenty of room in the industry for gangly skater boys, striking androgynies, and the pretty sons of famous actors. But whither the boy supermodels? These days, boys like Lucky Blue Smith and Cameron Dallas represent a new breed of social media–fueled modeling star, but they don’t necessarily replicate what made male supermodels so popular in the ’90s. Offering a guy-next-door cuteness and an air of approachability, models like Smith and Dallas have more in common with the era’s boy band pinups and heartthrob actors. It’s easier to imagine either appearing on the cover of Bop or Tiger Beat than it is to think of them nude and sprawled out in an underwear campaign. On average, male models have gotten younger, leaner, and less overtly sensual. On the catwalk, this corresponds perfectly to the quirky, street-conscious designs that have become de rigueur, but it can leave many asking—where’s the sexy? Now that we’re free to ogle male models to our heart’s delight, why are there so few who warrant our gaze?

For the most part, the male supermodels of the ’90s are still active on the scene, but their successors are few and far between. For every 50 runway waifs there is one Jon Kortajarena, Sean O’Pry, or David Gandy, a figure capable of raising the collective temperature of a room and channeling that energy into memorable photographs—but a look at the latest runways shows that ratio may be changing. At Balmain, the gorgeous Geron McKinley glided down the catwalk with confidence and an unmistakable swagger, while Aurelien Muller brought a strapping physique and steely gaze to Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Sartoria. Versace saw Donatella Versace treating her audience to a cast blessed with undeniable sex appeal, and even taking a few post-show Instagrams celebrating their shirtlessness. The moral here? Sexy might not be “back” in male modeling, but it’s still there informing our tastes, enticing our eyes, and introducing us to a new set of men well worth looking at.